No Regrets
by SpunkRansom225
Summary: Five times Katniss realized the war was worth it.


1.

She can't breathe. It feels like any air that could possibly find it's way to her lungs has been caught in her nasal passages and she just cannot breathe.

Haymitch knocks on her door to ask of she's ready. Katniss takes one last glance in the mirror, feeling unsure. And not because she's insecure. She feels more beautiful in this dress — her last gift from Cinna — than she's ever felt before and she has no doubt Peeta will feel the same. No, she's not insecure. She's scared. She's afraid that she can never be the woman that Peeta deserves.

Haymitch reads her mind, just like he's always seemed to be able to do. "Look, Sweetheart, I know what you're thinking. I told you before that you could live a thousand lifetimes and still not deserve that boy. Don't think this is a pep talk, because you still can't. But that doesn't mean he ain't in love with you. So what you're gonna do now is give me your arm, walk down the aisle, and marry that damn boy. And remember that if you hurt him, I'll kill you myself. He's always been my favorite." Haymitch bends his elbow for Katniss to take and walks her out of the room.

The music begins to play and soon Katniss reaches Peeta. They exchange vows. Peeta's are much more eloquent which is to be expected, but as Katniss is fumbling with her words and trying to convert all her feelings for him into something vocal, she realizes that in another world this wedding would have still taken place. It just wouldn't feel the same. It would be upon Snow's orders and Katniss would resent her husband forever because she'd have been forced into this. But this is their world, and Katniss fought for her freedom. The freedom to live, to hunt, to love whomever she wishes. This is their world and she does love Peeta and she'll never have to worry about resenting her husband because just like Haymitch, Katniss realizes that Peeta has always been her favorite, too.

2.

It's been five minutes and her eyes are still trained on the same spot. Those same two red lines are still her main focus and Katniss never thought that out of everything she's been through in her short life that this — one little stick — would be the thing that's scared her the most.

For the first two minutes she'd shaken the thing, hoping it would act as a thermometer and change somehow but no such luck. Katniss knows she should be happy right now. God knows that when Peeta finds out he'll barely be able to contain himself. She just can't shake the deep-rooted fear she's experiencing. She has never, ever wanted children. Not only because she used to shudder at the thought of a child that she'd loved and cared for being stripped away and sent to their death, but because Katniss has never considered herself motherly. Yes, she'd cared for her sister, but that was different.

Katniss startles as Peeta walks into their bedroom. She scurries to hide the test behind her back before Peeta finds her in their bathroom.

"Hello there, Mrs. Mellark." Peeta slides his arms down and around her waist. His hand brushes against the stick behind Katniss's back. "What'd'ya got there, Katniss?" He grabs it from her hand before she can stop him.

Katniss can tell from the shock on his face that he knows exactly what he's holding.

"I was late," Katniss explains.

"What do the lines mean?"

Katniss can't help the scowl when she answers. "That I'll get fat."

Peeta doesn't hesitate to lift her up into his arms and spin her. Katniss laughs as he peppers her neck with kisses. And as scared as Katniss is, she knows that without the war, she probably wouldn't have her boy with the bread or the chance to put that smile on his face.

3.

Katniss is in excruciating pain. All of her memories of being injured in her life — burns, falls, stab wounds — are nothing in comparison to the pain she is experiencing now. Peeta is by her side, cheering her on. She wishes he would shut up but loves him enough to let him believe he's helping her.

The midwife is standing at the end of their bed, informing Katniss that it is time to push. Katniss tightens her hold on Peeta's hand as another contraction rips through her and she puts all she has into pushing. She see's the grimace on his face even though he tries to hide it. When she's finished pushing she apologizes and he shakes his head. "I barely felt it," he says. She kisses his cheek, starts to tell him how much she loves him and screams in the place of her declaration.

When their daughter arrives, Katniss is overcome with joy. Peeta sits beside her on their bed and watches the two of them. Katniss can practically feel his immense happiness radiating off of him. His eyes are bright and shining as he says, "Look at what we did, Katniss. She's incredible."

"I know." Katniss doesn't know what else to say as she looks into the eyes of her daughter. She's beautiful. She has her father's nose and the same small dimple that sits on his chin. Katniss rejoices in the fact that when her beautiful little girl finds the man of her dreams, she'll never have to watch him murdered in cold blood for sport.

4.

Dahlia is seven now. She and Riley run ahead of her to the end of the Victor's Village. Katniss had gotten the idea to surprise Peeta at the bakery today. Whenever he came home from work on a day that they'd visited, he'd tell her how much it brightened his day. Peeta explained that it was his two favorite things wrapped up in one tight bow, baking and family.

Katniss smiles as her children chase each other down the road. They are nearing the bakery and the kids begin to race. Dahlia is ahead of Riley and she laughs as he yells for her to slow down. He stumbles a couple of times as his four year old legs struggle to keep up with the longer ones of his sister.

Dahlia makes it to the bakery, successfully beating her brother and Riley speeds up even though he's already lost. He stumbles once more and Katniss thinks nothing of it until he fails to right himself like all the other times. He falls forward and his cries can probably be heard all throughout town. Katniss runs forward, panicking, and picks up her son.

His lip is bleeding and there is a cut above his left eyebrow.

Peeta runs out of the bakery and aides Katniss in soothing their son.

Riley is taken inside to be cleaned up. His father wipes the blood away from Riley's forehead and applies a disinfectant. "It hurts, Daddy!" he screams.

Katniss thanks the high heavens that this may be the worst pain her son will feel in his adolescence.

5.

Katniss and Peeta walk hand in hand on the way to retrieve their children from school. He is talking animatedly about a conversation of Riley and Dahlia's that he'd overheard that morning. From what Katniss gathers, it was actually an argument about who Daddy gives the most cookies to.

Katniss can't help but stare at him as he smiles, laughs and moves his hands. He loves their children so much. As much as she loves them and as much as she loves him.

Peeta stops talking. "Katniss, you're staring at me."

"I can't help it. You're beautiful."

His strides stop and he pulls her to him in the middle of the road and kisses her. "So are you."

Dahlia and Riley come running from the school building and into their parents' arms. Katniss listens as Dahlia speaks about her lessons. They learned about the war today. Katniss doesn't stop walking but she feels her body tense. This is Dahlia's third year of school and even though they knew what the curriculum would be, Katniss isn't ready for this. Peeta tightens his hold on her hand.

Katniss reminds herself that this is a good thing. This is what they fought for. A lesson in school that would never again come to fruition, the freedom of her children and a love that would never end.

**A/N: Make sure to check out my other Hunger Games fic"After the War".**


End file.
